Before you’re able to receive an insurance payment or reimbursement when you file a claim, insurance companies will investigate the claim before they pay out any money. As part of the investigation, someone may take a look at your car or home. However, insurance companies now browse your Facebook and Twitter profiles as part of those investigations.
It’s clear that insurance companies can look into your social media activity if you’re filed a claim. If the story that you told your insurance company doesn’t match that on your page, where you’re likely more honest, you may be in big trouble. Obviously, you should always be truthful when filing a claim with your insurance agency. Insurance fraud is illegal in every state, and you’ll have larger problems to deal with when you’re in court and not just responsible for home or car repairs.
What you say isn’t the only thing that can find you in hot water. For example, if you post a photo of your car lodged in the door of your garage with the wrong caption, you’re indicating that you are at fault, and you may have to pay out of pocket for those repairs. Similarly, talking on the phone or texting can cause an accident, but a timestamp from your phone can be damning when it comes time to decide who was at fault.
In fact, you don’t even admit to fault. Investigators can look at eBay ratings, posts from your friends about you on Facebook and what you “Like” to determine whether you’re likely lie about your claim. A suspicion of dishonesty is enough for your insurance company to deny your claim. In the future, social media may help these companies determine whether you’re a liability who should be accepted at all.
Wisconsin residents looking for new insurance coverage or information about insurance fraud can contact Bob Wolfgram Agency, Inc.
